Crazy Little Thing Called Love
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is the 1024th episode of Casualty and the 20th episode of the 31st series. It was preceded by "Little Sister" and followed by "The Stag, the Dog and the Sheep". The episode was directed by Fiona Walton and written by Mark Stevenson. The events of the episode primarily take place on 2 February. Synopsis Alicia turns up at her parents house and is surprised to discover that they're giving their marriage another go, by celebrating their anniversary together. However, Alicia isn't impressed after what happened before, and discourages her mum in giving him another chance. Shortly after, a family friend Martin arrives, and there's tension between him and Howard. They share a kiss in the kitchen, therefore revealing that it was him that Howard was having an affair with. Despite this, Howard asks him to leave, but whilst reversing out of the driveway, Martin accidentally rams Howard backwards into a skip, as planks of wood and rubbish fall on him. The paramedics arrive and manage to free Howard, but in the chaos a plank of wood falls on Jackie's head. They're both admitted to the ED. Elsewhere, a young boy, Scott, tries to get out of a football game by purposely treading on a nail in a plank of wood. When he arrives in the ED, Charlie is suspicious of the accident and requests for Noel to contact Scott's GP for any records indicating self harming. However, Noel is having problems of his own as the Trust are making him reapply for his job as a result of the automated check-in systems beginning to make the receptionists' jobs redundant. Cal finds a secret phone in Alicia's locker and his suspicions of her loyalty are instantly reinstated. He and Ethan eventually manage to unlock it, and read messages that she's sent to "Loverboy". However, Ethan is just as surprised as Cal and they plan to uncover the mysterious figure. Cal sends a text to the mystery man telling him to meet him at the peace garden outside the ED. Meanwhile in resus, Howard's relationship with Martin is revealed and Jackie is in shock, having put her own treatment aside for the head injury to be with him. Alicia is furious that he's lied to her all the time, and even more so when he reveals that they've been together for nine and a half years. Howard suffers from a small heart attack which worries Alicia, as well as his pelvic injury sustained in the accident. As well as treating the young boy, Charlie is also worrying about the wedding and going into full planning mode. However, when Duffy discovers Louise telling Noel and Max to try on wedding dresses in the staff room to model, she tells Charlie to pick out the dress himself if it means so much, irritated at him getting over-involved. Dylan continues Scott's treatment, but it's clear that his father Chris seems to care more about his football. Noel tells Charlie that Scott has a history of self harming, but appears to have stopped now. Charlie raises the concerns with Chris, but he dismisses the theory. Robyn later administers Scott with an injection, but the sharp objects bin attracts his attention, eager to injure himself more so he won't have to play football. Meanwhile, Noel prepares for his interview in the toilets mirror but hears some noise from one of the toilet cubicles. He calls Charlie in, and they discover Scott in there having worsened his wound with a scalpel. Lily attempts to make amends with Iain after the events of the previous week, but he refuses to do so after she makes a blunt comment about two weeks being added to Gemma's sentence. Cal and Ethan meet Max in the peace garden and in anger, Ethan punches him. Alicia interrupts and reveals the truth. She was using another phone to trick Max; pretending to be a hot female doctor who he'd met on an online dating site. She takes him inside for treatment. Later, her and Cal share a chat on the roof and he apologises again for not trusting her. She tells him that it was fun whilst it lasted, hinting of the end of the relationship. Upon arriving back in resus, Alicia finds that her parents have once again reconciled, and she states that she has no pity for her mother anymore and that she's angry with her dad for lying. However, he then succumbs to his earlier pelvic injury and Cal is forced to perform a procedure in order to prevent the blood rushing to his pelvis. The operation is a success, and Jackie later breaks up with Howard due to the fact he asked for Martin when he was deteriorating. Noel's interview with the Trust members and Jacob arrives, but Louise interrupts midway through to tell them how his quick thinking saved a young boy and that real people are needed on reception and can't be replaced with machines. Although Jacob later condemns her actions, he informs Noel that they are getting rid of the new machines in favour of the receptionists as they agreed with her points. Realising that his son inflicted the injury upon himself, Chris tells Scott that he'll be proud of him whatever he decides to do. Charlie informs Duffy that he's brought the wedding forward to tomorrow, it will be taking place in the hospital chapel, and that his stag do will be taking place in the evening. After work, Charlie prepares to go out with everyone in a minibus. Cal makes up with Alicia and the cuff-link from weeks ago falls out of his pocket. However, Ethan comes along and tells him that he's been looking everywhere for it, as Cal is shocked and sickened by the realisation that it was his brother who slept with Alicia.